Tropical Birds, Lush Jungles and Vibrant Cloud Forests

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1 C O S T A R I C A! Tropical Birds, Lush Jungles and Vibrant Cloud Forests Escape the cold dark winter days and fly south to jungle paradise and experience pura vida in sun-soaked Costa Rica. On this ten night tropical expedition, you ll discover a vibrant land unlike any other. Despite its diminutive size, Costa Rica boasts greater biodiversity than all of Europe and North America. Over 850 species of birds have been identified here, and more butterflies than on the entire continent of Africa. Enjoy visits to colorful botanical gardens, explore lush jungles, stroll the shores of starlit beaches and view an abundance of exotic wildlife from a bridge that gently suspends you in the mist of the Cloud Forest canopy. Sultry breezes, tropical gardens, and colorful birds are all part of the exuberant pura vida ( pure life ) of Costa Rica. Y O U R J O U R N E Y 2 Nights San Jose 2 Nights Monteverde Mountain Cloud Forest 3 Nights Rincon de la Vieja Hot Springs 3 Nights Pacific Beach - Guanacaste

2 "Costa Rica was a fantastic experience - part vacation, but also part immersion into another culture and another perspective on the vastness of the natural world. Former Earthbound Costa Rica traveler J O U R N E Y H I G H L I G H T S Colorful Garden visits as listed in itinerary A coffee plantation visit Towering Poás Volcano The Monteverde Cloud Forest Soaking in jungle hot springs Hummingbird Gallery Skywalk canopy tour Wildlife viewing via a Corobici river float trip Butterfly Gardens The stunning Pacific Coast Morning and evening bird walks Monteverde Orchid Gallery Sightings of toucans, quetzals, monkeys, iguanas, sloths and more! IT'S INCLUDED! An expert Earthbound Expeditions guide/naturalist Ten nights of accommodation in charming hotels, comfortable cabins and lodges (All rooms with private baths and hot showers) Special visits to botanical gardens, cloud forests, orchid and butterfly galleries All breakfasts, plus fifteen additional traditional meals Transportation on board a spacious, air-conditioned motor coach Entrances to all activities and national parks as listed in your itinerary Gratuities for guides, naturalists and drivers Fun introductory language lessons offered by your guide TRIP FACTS Length: 11 Days / 10 Nights TOUR PRICING AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST, CALL FOR DETAILS: *Designed for 10 or more guests.

3 Y O U R A D V E N T U R E B E G I N S DAY 1: Arrive in Costa Rica Pura Vida! Today your adventure begins as you arrive in San Jose. Plan to meet your guide, host and fellow travelers at a hotel near the airport this afternoon. Sleep near San Jose DAY 2: Towering volcanos, Coffee Plantations and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens Weather and seismic activity permitting, our morning expedition is to Poás Volcano, a powerful symbol of the geothermal forces that formed this tiny nation. When the mist and clouds part, you can see the green-blue sulfuric, bubbling, rain-fed lake at the bottom, surrounded by smoke and steam rising from fumaroles. Water from the lake is constantly seeping through cracks in the hot rock, evaporating and building pockets of steam. Protecting 22 square miles with elevations range from 7,874 to 8,885 feet, Poás is a small but important national park. You can find cloud forest and tropical rainforest-upland habitats within the boundaries. Descending from the volcano, we ll stop at a coffee plantation in order to learn about the Grano de Oro (the Golden Bean), of great historical and economic importance in Costa Rica. In the afternoon, we visit the stunning La Paz Waterfall gardens, where strategically located viewing platforms and trails allow wonderful viewing and photographic opportunities. A group dinner will be included this evening. Sleep near San Jose (B, L, D) DAY 3: Into the Clouds Following breakfast, we ll say adios to San Jose and make our way to the renowned Cloud Forest of Monteverde. Making a number of stops where the scenery and wildlife are at their best, we end our drive at Monteverde itself. Due to its high altitude some 4,662 ft above sea level Monteverde receives a steady supply of clouds and the life-giving moisture that they contain. This moisture, often in the form of fog, catches on the branches of the tallest trees and drips down to the other organisms below. This helps to support a complex and far-reaching ecosystem, one that harbors over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, tens of thousands of insect species, and over 2,500 varieties of plants including 420 orchid species. After checking into our mountain lodge, we visit the amazing Butterfly and Insect Garden where you can walk through greenhouses filled with hand-raised butterflies, happy to lightly rest on you for a magical minute. Time permitting, we ll join our naturalist this evening for a sunset bird-watching walk and spend the next two nights in the midst of the Cloud Forest. Sleep in Monteverde (B, L, D)

4 DAY 4: Vibrant Cloud Forests and an Energetic Hummingbird Gallery This morning prepare for the overwhelming lushness of the Cloud Forest of Monteverde, home to numerous species of plants, birds and animals. Your guide will lead you on a walking journey through this abundant environment, pointing out the many exciting plants and animals, and keeping a keen eye out for quetzals, considered by many to be the most beautiful bird in the world. Even non-bird lovers are sure to convert at the Hummingbird Gallery; watch a hypnotizing, colorful air parade of these tiny community members darting in for a nectar snack. If you re able to tear yourself away, the afternoon is yours to explore the area of Monteverde at your own leisurely pace. Of course, you may just want to take a siesta or relax at the lodge. Sleep in Monteverde (B, L, D) DAY 5: Canopy Skywalk and a River Float Trip This morning we have the rare opportunity to visit the Cloud Forest canopy. Skywalk is a series of suspension bridges that allow you to walk where our planet s life is at its most complex. Eighty percent of all life in the Cloud Forest is to be found in the canopy. Hovering one hundred feet above the dark floor of the jungle, the sun-soaked canopy explodes with life. Former guests have stated that Skywalk is the trek a lifetime. Our drive north will take us out of the Cloud Forest and through the dry African grasslands of the province of Guanacaste. En route we enjoy lunch on the banks of a rushing river. Upon arrival (time permitting), take a nature walk with your Costa Rican naturalist. Sleep in Rincon de la Vieja (B, L, D)

5 DAYS 6 & 7: Horseback Riding, Volcanos, Thermal Pools and Zip Lines Called the Yellowstone of Costa Rica, Rincon de la Vieja boasts an active volcano, geysers, bubbling mud pots and mineral hot springs, virgin forest and countless species of birds, monkeys and other wildlife. For the next two days you ll enjoy early morning nature walks, bubbling thermal pools, horseback riding and for the more adventurous at heart, zip-lining, inner tubing and canyoning. Sleep in Rincon de la Vieja (B, L, D) DAY 8: West to the Stunning Beaches of Guanacaste: This morning we head west to a secluded Pacific beach in Guanacaste, stopping along the way to view local Indian pottery. Enjoy an evening swim or beach walk followed by dinner. Sleep in Guanacaste (B, D) DAYS 9 & 10: Beach Relaxing and Green Sea Turtles The next couple of days are yours to relax and recharge. The only thing on the agenda is lying in a hammock, contemplating the incredible beauty of Costa Rica from a suspended position. If you are interested, our resident naturalist will be available for informative nature walks along the beach. Need some action? Set out on a hike or discover the joy of body surfing in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Oh, and be warned: spontaneous beach parties have been known to occur here pura vida! The nesting season of the green sea turtles is roughly October through March. Due to the danger of extinction and extreme need for protection, Costa Rica has managed to successfully protect much of its coastline against overdevelopment for the turtles and other wildlife. We will endeavor to see this miracle of nature, when the females come and lay their eggs up on the beach. This typically happens while creeping around the beaches in the cover of night, so with luck, our stealthy efforts will be rewarded with a glimpse of these elusive and heroic creatures. Sleep in Guanacaste (B, D) DAY 11: Return home or stay on. Your expedition to Costa Rica concludes after breakfast. Your guide will be on hand to see you off at the airport. We recommend returning from Liberia International Airport. If you have a bit of extra time and love the idea of relaxing on a tropical beach, we suggest you stay on in Costa Rica. Return home with a lifetime of happy memories. -Itinerary Subject to Change -

6 A FEW OF THE GARDENS & PARKS VISITED Monteverde Cloud Forest It is the most famous cloud forest reserve in the world and one of the most important protected areas in Costa Rica. It is visited by nature lovers from various countries desiring to enjoy, appreciate and study the abundant biodiversity of its ecosystems. Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve (MCFBR) is fully owned by TSC, a Costa Rican non-profit scientific and educational association established in The Reserve has received well-deserved international recognition as one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the New World tropics. Located strategically on both sides of the continental divide in northeastern Costa Rica, the Reserve covers both watersheds, Caribbean and Pacific. Monteverde Orchid Garden There are more than 1,400 types of wild orchids growing throughout the rainforests of Costa Rica, and 500 of these can be found in Monteverde alone. Incredibly, the Monteverde Orchid Garden houses 426 different species, spread across a neatly labeled and aesthetically pleasing outdoor garden. A trip here will educate visitors on the characteristics, growing environment and threats that orchids currently face. Monteverde Butterfly Gardens The Monteverde Butterfly Garden known locally as the Mariposario is one of Monteverde s most visited attractions. Situated in Cerro Plano, which lies between the town of Santa Elena and the Monteverde Reserve, the Butterfly Garden is comprised of four climate-controlled butterfly gardens, a medicinal plant garden, a biodiversity center, and a live leafcutter ant colony. Here visitors can observe some of the most fascinating and beautiful insects in all of the tropics.

7 La Paz Waterfall Gardens Lush tropical rain forest, flowing white rivers, spectacular waterfalls, birds, butterflies, monkeys, hummingbirds, snakes, felines and frogs. At La Paz Waterfall Gardens, you are guaranteed to see all that and more. Rincón de la Vieja: The name, Rincón de la Vieja, translates to English as the old woman s corner. According to locals, the indigenous people of the Guatuso tribe named the volcano thus for one of two reasons. Either there was an old witch on top of the mountain who sent columns of smoke into the air when she was angry, or there was a kindly old woman occupying the same nook, and the smoke was from her cooking fire as she prepared meals for weary travelers. IS THIS ADVENTURE RIGHT FOR YOU? Health Matters: It is the responsibility of each guest to be aware of their physical abilities or limitations, and to be in sufficient good health to undertake the trip. To make the most of your journey and participate in the various planned group activities, you should be able to be on your feet and walk unassisted for two to three hours (often over uneven cobblestones or pathways) with frequent standing. If you have questions about the physical requirements for your journey, please or call our travel office. Any preexisting physical, mental, or emotional disability that may require attention must be reported in writing prior to the beginning the journey. Although it is not mandatory to participate in every planned and included group activity, not doing so isn t cause for a refund. For those desiring additional exercise, our trips allow free time to explore at your own pace. On boats, planes, rafts, ships and ferries, guests will need to be able to maneuver unassisted up and down gangways, stairs and in between decks. Smokers may smoke outside and downwind of the group. QUESTIONS AND RESERVATIONS